Sponge mop



H. S. HARVEY July 5, 1966 SPONGE MOP Original Filed NOV. lO, 1960 /N VEN TOR. HARMOND S. HARVEY lll/11111111 r ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,258,809 SPONGE MOP Harmond S. Harvey, 712 Saw Mill Brook Parkway, Newton Center 59, Mass. Continuation of application Ser. No. 68,568, Nov. 10, 1960. This application Sept. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 227,643 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-321) This application is a continuation of :my prior copending application Serial Number 68,568, iiled November 10, 1960, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a sponge mop. In particular it relates to a sponge mop having a novel means for applying water to the sponge head and for withdrawing water from the sponge head.

The conventional wet 4mop operations for washing a iloor comprise in sequence iilling a pair with water, adding soap or detergent, immersing the mop head into the pail, squeezing out some of the excess Water by mechanical means, scrubbing the iloor, again squeezing out the mop head, repeating the mop cycle preferably with fresh clean water and then alternate scrubbing and squeezing to dry the floor. The inconvenience of such operations has been recognized for a long time. Attempts have been made to alleviate the problem by improving the ease with which a mop head may be mechanically squeezed. Also, power operated suction devices have been provided with power scrubbing action and storage bins for clean and dirty water. However, none of the methods and devices previously described meet the requirements of simplicity, low cost and ease of both removing water from the iloor and cleansing the mop head.

The present invention -meets these requirements and has a further advantage of having no electrical or mechanical parts, having positive action, being self-cleaning, providing means for sucking up water from the mop head, providing unlimited exchanges of water and disposing of all dirty water directly into a sink or :drain without the need of transporting any pail, storage bin or similar container.

The invention, in a general sense, comprises a rigid mop handle associated with a sponge having a ilat bottom surface and interconnecting cells and with a conduit extending from the sponge to a reversible Water-suction pump. The handle if hollow can serve as part of the conduit. However, in its preferred form, the conduit comprises a ilexible tube extending through a hollow mop handle lfrom the sponge to a water-aspirator pump having a controllable baille valve for reversing ilow. At the junction between the ilexible tube and the top of the hollow mop handle, a shut-oif control means is preferably provided. The sponge mop head is connected at its top to the conduit and is exposed only at the bottom. Its sides are covered with a water impervious jacket. At a position along the hollow handle a detergent dispenser can be connected to the conduit.

Mopping operations with this invention are as follows. The aspirator pump is connected to a water faucet in a sink. If the baille valve is left open the pump -may be left mounted at all times. When it is desired t use the mop, the tubing is connected to the pump and the baille valve is closed. The water is then turned on with the control open at the hollow mop handle, which allows water to ilow into the sponge. As soon as suillcient water has ilowed into the mop head the control is closed, and the baille valve opened again so that water ilows into the sink. The operator mops the iloor with conventional scrubbing techniques, adding detergent to the iloor for spreading if no detergent dispenser is provided. When it is desired to pick up the dirty water the control is opened. This continuously drains water from the sponge head so that all the dirty water is transported through the sponge head directly into the sink. After the sponge head 3,258,809 Patented July 5, 1966 ICC is sufficiently dry additional water is supplied by repeating the cycle, that is to say, by cutting down the ilow of water in the faucet and closing the baille valve. Several repeated cycles automatically cleanse the sponge. A small hole is preferably provided as an emergency relief in the 4baille valve to prevent any build-up of pressure in the ilexible tube if valve is closed, the mop control shut off, but the water still ilowing.

The aspirator pump preferred for use with this invention comprises a tube having a relatively small top opening where it connects with the faucet. The tube has a side arm with a relatively wide opening and its bottom portion is relatively wide. The baille valve comprises a screw-on valve which by slight unthreading will allow passage of water for `siphoning. A small hole threaded through the valve provides the relief mentioned above.

The hollow mop handle is preferably threaded into a threaded tube of an attaching plate. The plate holds the mop head. The mop head can be of any of the ilexible sponge materials having interconnecting cells, as for example, cellulose sponge. The ilexible water-impervious jacket covers al1 Isides and at least the periphery of the top leaving the lbottom otherwise exposed. The jacket can be a separate ilexible elastic cover such as a fitted rubber yor plastic hood or it :may be a ilexible water-impervious coating which is applied to the sponge head. A top opening in the jacket is provided to connect the sponge with the hollow mop handle or inner tube. Thus, if the sponge head is of the common type provided with an adherent top metal plate, the plate and jacket preferably have central registering slots.

The hollow handle is preferably positioned at an angle with respect to the mop head resting on the iloor. The handle should be rigid and for this purpose it is preferred that a metal tube be used.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the entire device as connected in operable use.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section of the aspirator pump.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse section 3-3 showing the construction of the mop head assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a faucet 11 in a sink 12. The aspirator pump 13 is connected to the faucet. The pump has a small top opening 14, a large side arm 15 and bottom opening 1'6. A screwon baille valve assembly 17 has a valve 18 which seats 0n 16, With relief hole 18A.

Connected to side arm 15 is a ilexible tube 19 which passes through a plastic collar 20 and has a shut-off 21. This collar 20 is preferably permanently mounted on one end of the hollow lrigid mop handle 22. The tube 19 extends through hollow mop handle 22 and terminates on a short brass tube 23. A detergent dispenser 31 is provided with petcock 32 and connecting tube 33, supported by the handle 22 and connecting with the tube 19. The handle 22 threads into a hollow receptacle 23A attached on top of a metal plate 24.

Brass tube 23 is spaced inside receptacle 23A, goes through hole 24A in metal plate 24, and is attached at registering hole 25A to the top of a molded rubber hood 25. Hood 25 ilts somewhat snugly over a cellulose sponge 27 which has metal plate 26 permanently adhered to its top surface. Plate 26 has a trough with perforations 26A. The hood 25 thus covers the sponge-plate 27-26 except for the bottom surface 30 and the top hole 25A. Assembly of the hood and sponge-plate to the handle-plate tube assembly is by means of bolts 28, 29 through registering holes.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

In combination: a reversible Water-suction pump, a cellulose sponge, a hollow rigid handle, a flexible conduit extending` from said pump through said handle to said sponge, and sponge attaching and enveloping means attaching said handle to Vsaid sponge; said attaching means comprising in attached combination a plate having an orice, means for holding said yhandle on said plate and a fitted flexible Water impervious jacket which surrounds the sides of the sponge leaving the bottom exposed, as the only exposed surface of the sponge, has its top portion cooperating with the plate to form a seal and has an orice registering with said plate orice, said orifices permitting connection between said conduit and said sponge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 1950 France. 2/ 1949 Great Britain. 4/196()` Great Britain.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner. 

